Amid protest,PM Modi targets Opposition for ‘lying’ over farm bills

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that for the first time in decades, the Union government has framed laws that benefit farmers, workers, women and other marginalised sections.In the backdrop of protests from a section of farmers and the Opposition parties’ criticism of the recently passed farm bills, PM Modi lashed out at the Opposition for “misleading” the farmers.

“Many governments were formed after promising betterment of farmers and workers. But what did they get—nothing; just a web of promises that neither the farmers understood nor the workers. The farmers were entwined in laws that prevented them from selling their produce at prices that they wanted; consequently, even though the produce went up their income did not go up,” he said.

Addressing party workers on the 104th birth anniversary of  leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the BJP’s forerunner Deendayal Upadhyay, the PM said that over the years the farmers’ burden of loans kept increasing.“The NDA government made relentless efforts to change this. We have taken well thought-out decisions that are not for any political benefit (to us) but for the empowerment and benefit of the farmers. Earlier we decided to give MSP, which was one and a half times the cost of production and created history,” he said.

Highways and railway tracks have been blocked, state borders have been sealed at certain points and additional police forces have been deployed as thousands of farmers launch fierce protests against the controversial farm bills. The farmers have warned the government that their agitations will intensify unless the bills are repealed. Opposition parties like the Congress, the RJD and the Trinamool, as well as 10 central trade unions, have voiced their support for the farmers. Faced with ferocious protests nationwide. Reports of agitation from Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, western UP, Tamil Nadu and Bihar were reported.